Restaurants typically serve various types of beverages with ice, typically in the form of ice cubes, crushed ice or flaked ice. Often, a beverage dispensing fountain device will incorporate an ice storage/dispensing device or an ice storage dispenser will be located adjacent the fountain device. Alternatively, the ice may be merely stored in an ice storage bin and ice for beverages can be merely manually scooped therefrom. Typically, the ice is stored and dispensed from, but not made in those types of ice dispenser and storage devices.
The aforementioned equipment may be operated by restaurant employees or by restaurant patrons such as where self-service of beverages is available. The quantity of ice that may be dispensed in such a setting can be substantial over the course of a day.
Ice makers are not typically part of the beverage fountain/ice storage dispenser combination. This is in part because ice makers are expensive, heavy and require space. Thus, the ice contained therein must be periodically replenished. Typically, the ice replenishing is performed manually, such as by a restaurant employee carrying ice in a bucket to the ice storage/dispensing device and dispensing the ice therein.
A need exists for an efficient, reliable, low maintenance, low cost and automated ice transport system and method. A need also exists for such a device and method that can be easily and inexpensively retrofitted to existing restaurants.
In certain known existing ice transportation or delivery systems as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,711, the delivery tube through which the ice is transported may become relatively moist or wet. This can be caused, in part, by some of the ice melting during conveyance or smaller chips of ice breaking off and then subsequently melting. A relatively wet, moist environment potentially can be conducive to the growth of organisms and thus typically is sanitized periodically. The presence of bacteria in the delivery system is not desirable since bacteria may come into contact with ice transported through the system. The tubes also create the possibility of the ice picking up unpleasant flavors if residual sanitizing agents are still in the lines. Consequently, a need also exists for an effective method of transporting ice that eliminates the long delivery tubes and allows the transportation device to be easily sanitized. There is also a need for an ice transport device that can be more effectively rinsed of cleaning agents in order to reduce or eliminate flavor variations in the ice.
A practical and efficient ice transport apparatus and method should minimize the time the ice delivery system is shut down for sanitizing, as well as the time required for performing the sanitizing. Shutting down the system is disruptive, inefficient and not otherwise desirable. In accordance with the invention, the container can be removed and replaced with another while it is cleaned, thereby avoiding machine downtime. The container can be cleaned and/or sanitized quickly and easily by a washing machine, a spray device or by hand, for example.
Restaurants or other commercial facilities often have multiple ice dispensers that are far away from the source of the ice (e.g., one in the dining room, one by the drive-thru window, etc.). Hand delivering ice from the ice source is tedious, labor intensive, slow and can be visible to customers in the restaurant. Restaurants can also consume a large quantity of ice in a short period of time, especially during peak periods such as breakfast, lunch and dinner. A need exists for an ice transport apparatus that is hidden from customer view, can service multiple remote locations, and can easily be installed into existing or new restaurants or other facilities. In addition, a need exists for a device and method that can quickly and efficiently distribute ice from a source to one or more locations.
For purposes of the present invention, the term “ice cube” includes all types, sizes and shapes of ice, including cubes of any shape, crushed ice, lumps and flakes. The term “ice cube” is also intended to include crushed ice.
For purposes of the present invention, the term “sanitizing” means the killing of bacteria, and as known to those skilled in the art, does not necessarily require the complete elimination of bacteria.